The Charge

"What is this, Ike Turner Classic Movies?"

The Case

Two new movie-riffing outfits rose from the styrofoam and plastic-filled
wreckage of Mystery Science Theater 3000. One being the tech-savvy online
venture, RiffTrax, with Michael J. Nelson, and the other being the more
traditional MST descendent, Cinematic Titanic, with Joel Hodgson. Like their
respective tenures on MST3K, the two take next-gen riffing in very different
directions: RiffTrax spits out downloadable commentary tracks for every movie
under the sun; Cinematic Titanic offers up one finely crafted episode at a time.
Titanic is a series that, until this review, I had yet to experience. I'm sorry
I waited this long.

The set up for Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks, as well as all other
Titanic releases, features five riffers standing on scaffolding that resides on
the outer edges of the screen. All five cast members are classic MST3K stars:
Joel Hodgson (the show's creator), TV's Frank Conniff, Trace Beaulieu (the
original Dr. Forrester and Crow), Mary Jo Pehl (Pearl Forrester), and J. Elvis
Weinstein (Dr. Lawrence Erhardt). The riffers aren't portraying robots or mad
scientists this time; they're just playing themselves, tearing down this awful
Italian horror movie in a most efficient, well-timed manner.

The Titanic experience begins with a quiet introduction, as the hosts'
silhouettes march to the theater and drop some helpful info about the feature
they're going to destroy. Everything about Titanic's presentation is fine-tuned
and professional; this new series isn't high concept, and it never feels cheap.
Hodgson and Co. come off as old pros, sniping jokes at just the right time and
playing off of one another. Occasionally the five join forces to sing or scream
at the movie. It all just feels right.

What isn't right, however, is Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks (1974),
a cheesy mash-up of hunchbacked servants and cavemen from Italy. The film
follows Dr. Frankenstein's (Rossano Brazzi, South Pacific) attempt to create
another monster, this time named Goliath. His plans are derailed, however,
because he's invited his daughter and her friends to spend the weekend at the
mansion. Also, his henchmen's sloppy graverobbing skills have the town's
detectives and vigilante mobs hot on Dr. Frank's tail. It's not long before
Goliath is running amok, killing a harmless caveman named Ook (played by some
Italian guy billed as "Boris Lugosi") and befriending a beautiful
houseguest.

Obviously, it's a terrible movie, and the crew of the Titanic tears it to
shreds with intelligent wit and goofy one-liners. The jokes are choreographed to
perfection, and most of them are winners. All five riffers are clearly at the
top of their game, to the point where Cinematic Titanic would be a natural
progression for fans missing the Satellite of Love.

The group also employs a few sight gags to mix things up. This episode marks
the first appearance of the "Breast Blimp," a pleasant little
dirigible that flies on the screen just in time to ensure the film stays PG-13.
It's hysterically distracting, and adds a welcomed bit of physical humor to a
fairly static setup. For the most part, the group is oddly statuesque on their
scaffolding; sometimes it's difficult to tell who's even talking. For as much as
I appreciate the scaffolding as a new approach to the silhouette angle, I hope
that they utilize it more in the future.

The disc's production values are sparse, but effective. The simple black and
white menu and opening credits keep the focus on the movie and the riffing
experience. The silhouettes are crisp and clean; Frankenstein's Castle of
Freaks isn't anything particularly pretty to look at, but it at least has a
bright and grainy '70s transfer. As of right now the only way for you to get
this installment, and the rest of the series, is on Cinematic Titanic's website
via DVD or digital download. Either way, it's worth the effort.

Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks is perfect fodder for the Titanic
crew, and it's a great entry point for newcomers. If you're a long-time MST3k
fan dying for some new episodes, this is as close as they come.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

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